European Lawmakers Decide to Prohibit Meat-Related Names for Vegetarian Foods
During a significant decision this week, European Parliament members voted 355 to 247 to reserve food names including "steak" and "schnitzel" solely for meat products.
What the Vote Means
If this proposal is implemented, common plant-based products such as veggie burgers, soy steak, and vegetable schnitzel may need to change their names across EU markets.
However, before the restriction to take effect, it must gain support from most of the 27 EU countries, something that is far from certain.
Key Arguments Behind the Proposal
Supporters argue that customers require transparent information and while traditional names should only describe products derived from animals.
"An escalope or a sausage represent products from our livestock: not synthetic production or plant products," said France's MEP Céline Imart.
Opponents, led by environmental lawmakers, described the move populist maneuvering.
"Veggie burgers, seitan schnitzel and soy sausage don't mislead consumers, only certain lawmakers," said Austrian lawmaker Thomas Waitz.
Previous Efforts and Judicial Background
This isn't the first effort to control such names. The European parliament voted down a similar ban in four years ago.
The French government previously enacted a domestic ban on meat terms for vegetarian products in 2020, but EU courts determined it illegal under EU law in 2024.
Business and Consumer Reaction
Leading Germany's supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl object to the measure, cautioning that altering established names would confuse shoppers.
Advocacy organizations cite research indicating that most shoppers understand product labels as long as items are properly marked as vegan.
"Almost 70% of shoppers understand these names as long as products are explicitly labelled plant-based," said Irina Popescu, a consumer officer at BEUC.
What Comes Next
This legislative measure next requires review by European governments, and it must secure majority support to become law.
Considering the divided views among various politicians and the general population, the future of this initiative is still uncertain.
